Have fun while traveling, ride a bike!

The Metro Orange Line Bike Path is sufficiently wide to provide separate demarcated spaces for people walking and bicycling.

As the City works to design and build road improvements to support active transportation and revitalize the Los Angeles River, Angelenos are increasingly re-discovering the beauty of the City, changing how they travel throughout it, and visiting outdoor places to exercise. The bike path along the Los Angeles River is one of the few places in this City that can host people taking in nature, commuting to their destination, or just enjoying a pleasant bike ride or walk.

The continuous 7-mile segment of bike path that runs parallel to a mostly soft-bottom portion of the river between Glendale and Elysian Valley known as the “Glendale Narrows” has proven to be especially popular for a number of activities, including: dog-walking, bicycling, recreational walking, bird watching, and more. Like many places in Los Angeles that become popular, the limited space, often less than 15 feet wide, available at this section of the LA River bike path can become crowded. At times, the bike path is occupied by dozens of people walking, rolling, and bicycling.

If You Build It, They Will All Come

Prior to the bike path being built from Fletcher Drive to approximately Riverside Drive in 2010, there was only 4.6 miles of continuous bike path from Fletcher Dr. to Zoo Dr. Few people rode their bikes along the Los Angeles River service road on the not-yet-constructed portion of the LA River through Elysian Valley, although the passage was used informally by locals. After the LA River path was extended to its current southern endpoint at Riverside Dr. in Elysian Valley, the facility’s smooth surface and accessible entrances attracted people walking, rolling, pushing strollers, and bicycling. What was formerly a 4.6-mile bike path became a continuous 7-mile shared use bike path, giving people more room to enjoy spaces along the LA River. Over the years, communities along the Glendale Narrows have also seen change and are drawing more attention to the LA River. Today, many people happily use what will eventually become a long linear park as it is intended for a variety of uses and activities. Despite the limited space, most users are able to get along most of the time – whether they walk, bike, or roll.

Then CD 13 Councilmember Eric Garcetti and then CD 4 Councilmember Tom LaBonge at the grand opening of the Elysian Valley section of the LA River bike path.

Sharing the Bike Path

Unfortunately, this post is not about the usual harmonious rhythm shared by LA River bike path users, it is about the small portion of time when path users struggle to get along. Every now and then, people walking or rolling on the path encounter people riding their bicycles at high speeds, making them uncomfortable and concerned. On the other hand, people on bicycles complain about people who walk in groups of three or more abreast or against the flow of bicycle travel. We hear reports of people colliding or nearly colliding with one another on the path, which can startle path users and discourage them revisiting this beautiful resource. In a perfect world, the path would be wide enough that none of these conflicts would exist but the reality is that the current width of the bike path is what is feasible given physical constraints and available resources.

The City has few places that provide a better, uninterrupted bicycling experience than the Los Angeles River bike path, and as the River’s amenities continue to be built out all of us must do our part to keep the path a friendly and accommodating place for everyone.

When everybody shares and uses the bike path responsibly, we can all get in on the LA River fun!

Keep in mind that both people walking and bicycling are legal users of the path. Below are useful tips to keep in mind when sharing bike path:

When Bicycling:

Yield to people walking or rolling.

Slow down for pedestrians entering the path.

Slow down when passing anyone.

Pass only when it is safe to do so.

Travel at safe speed with due regard for others.

Be especially cautious around children and elderly people.

When traveling side-by-side, stay on the right side of the path when pedestrians are present.

Ride in single file when there is not enough room to adequately share the path.

Slow down when approaching pedestrians

Giving audible warning (i.e., saying “passing left”, ringing bell), pass only when safe to do so, and when in doubt, stop.

When Walking:

Look both ways before entering the path.

Keep to the right side of the path.

Do not walk/stop in the middle of the path.

Make sure children know where to walk and when in doubt hold their hand.

Walk your dog(s) on a short leash (and please pick up after him or her).

Look behind you and ahead- especially when moving across the path.

Remember, the LA River bike path is a shared resource and we must all be courteous to its other users.

Key Laws Regarding Bike Paths

The following is the text and summary of laws relative to Bicycle Path use in the State of California and City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles River.

California Vehicle Code

No motorized bicycles are allowed on bike paths unless allowed by Code

CVC21207.5 Notwithstanding Sections 21207 and 213127 of this code, or any other provision of law, no motorized bicycle may be operated on a bicycle path or trail, bikeway, bicycle lane, established pursuant to Section 21207, equestrian trail, or hiking or recreational trail, unless it is within or adjacent to a roadway or unless the local authority or the governing body of a public agency having jurisdiction over such path or trail permits, by ordinance, such operation.

It is illegal to loiter on or block a bike path except maintenance or utility vehicles

CVC21211 (a) No person may stop, stand, sit, or loiter upon any class I bikeway, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, or any other public or private bicycle path or trail, if the stopping, standing, sitting or loitering impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable movement of any bicyclist. (b) No person may place or park any bicycle, vehicle, or any other object upon any bikeway or bicycle path or trail as specified in subdivision (a), which impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable movement of any bicyclist unless the placement or parking is necessary for safe operation or is otherwise in compliance with the law. (C) This section does not apply to drivers or owners of utility or public utility vehicles as provided in Section 22512.

Due to inadequate available width, no separate pedestrian path is available (like the Orange Line Bike Path), thus pedestrians are legal and welcome users of the Los Angeles River Bike Path

CVC 21966 No pedestrian shall proceed along a bicycle path or lane where there is an adjacent adequate pedestrian facility.

No cars, motorcycles, mopeds or other motorized vehicles are allowed on the path except maintenance or emergency vehicles.

CVC213127. No person shall operate an unauthorized motor vehicle on any state, county, city, private, or district hiking or horseback riding trail or bicycle path that is clearly marked by an authorized agent or owner with signs at all entrances and exists and at intervals of not more than one mile indicating no unauthorized motor vehicles are permitted on the hiking or horseback riding trail or bicycle path, except bicycle paths which are contiguous or adjacent to a roadway dedicated solely to motor vehicle use.

California Streets and Highways Code

Bicycle Paths are designed for the use of people on bicycles AND on foot.

S&H Code 890.4 As used in this article, “bikeway” means all facilities that provide primarily for, and promote, bicycle travel. For purposes of this article, bikeways shall be categorized as follows: (a) Bike paths or shared use paths, also referred to as “Class I bikeways,” which provide a completely separated right-of-way designated for the exclusive use of bicycles and pedestrians with crossflows by motorists minimized.

Bicycle Path design is overseen by Caltrans (State Dept. of Transportation) and various strategies may be utilized to make all users aware of each other on bike paths.

S&H Code 890.9. The department shall establish uniform specifications and symbols for signs, markers, and traffic control devices to designate bikeways, regulate traffic, improve safety and convenience for bicyclists, and alert pedestrians and motorists of the presence of bicyclists on bikeways and on roadways where bicycle travel is permitted.

Los Angeles Municipal Code

Users of bicycle paths, or bikeways, are not allowed to use bicycles, skates, etc in a way that endangers other users of the path.

LAMC 56.16-1. No person shall ride, operate or use a bicycle, unicycle, skateboard, cart, wagon, wheelchair, roller skates, or any other device moved exclusively by human power, on a sidewalk, bikeway or boardwalk in a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.

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The City of Los Angeles and Metro are partnering to launch the Metro Countywide Bike Share Pilot Program in Summer 2016. The Pilot Program will feature up to 1,000 bicycles and 80 stations in Downtown Los Angeles. Based on preliminary studies and two rounds of public feedback (here and here), we have increased the system size by 20% and identified over 100 possible station locations. Now we need your help to select the very best ones.

Visit Metro.net/bikeshare to view the Bike Share map showing proposed station locations. Tell us why you like or dislike a location directly on the map. The deadline for comments is Thursday, December 31, 2015. Spread the word! Don’t forget to share the site with your networks #BikeShareLA.

We got great feedback at the Arts District Farmers Market. Now we want to hear which stations YOU prefer!

When thinking about station locations, you may be wondering what attributes to consider. Below is some information about station size and siting criteria we encourage you to think about when expressing your preferences.

What are the space requirements for a Bike Share station?The average station size is approximately the size of three parking spaces. Some stations may be smaller or larger.

What are the station siting criteria? We are searching for locations on streets, on sidewalks or in plazas that provide:Connectivity: Connecting to transit and key destinations creates a networkSpace Availability: Wider sidewalks and parking spaces are great locationsAccessibility: Stations should be visible and easy to get toSun: Sunny spots are best since stations run on solar powerDemand and Support: Stations should be located where there is high demand

Are these stations set in stone? No. This is a pilot program and the station locations will be evaluated as the program moves forward. Stations may be moved in the future.

Take a look at your calendar, and you probably will not find Planning Day as a listed holiday. Planning Day, held on October 15th this year, is an annual event observed exclusively by the Department of City Planning (DCP) where DCP staff lead and participate in multiple tours designed to explore different planning-related themes throughout Los Angeles . For this year’s Planning Day, a group of DCP staff biked the streets of Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), Little Tokyo, and the Arts District to see first-hand how LADOT is helping transform Los Angeles into a vision of Complete Streets.

To kickoff the tour, LADOT People St Project Manager, Elizabeth Gallardo lead DCP staff along a greatest hits of active transportation projects designed by LADOT to serve a broad cross section of road users, who find DTLA as a vibrant place to live and spend their leisure time. First stop was the Spring Street parklets where Nicholas Ziff Griffin, Director of Economic Development at the Downtown Center Business Improvement District described the importance of these amenities in creating a vital place where people want to linger and explore new businesses.

So, we know mobility is an important part of our lives that allows us to participate in different activities and we know a hub refers to a center for an activity but is a “mobility hub” a thing? The idea of a mobility hub comes from a vision for a sustainable transportation system that offers seamless connectivity and integration between various modes of transport, all through a single platform. There are two components that differentiate a mobility hub from other transportation services: (1) they serve the “first/last mile trip” from transit and (2) demand-based services are offered through an information technology platform.

Mobility through Connectivity

Mobility hubs, typically located at major transit stations, are designed to provide “on-demand” transportation through first/last mile transportation solutions. They are strategic locations where people using one mode or service can use another service to reach their final destination to both easily and conveniently. Mobility hubs are not only an extension of local transit service and infrastructure networks for walking and bicycling, but also a venue to access carshare services!

Perhaps as exciting as the availability of these mobility options, is that mobility hubs also offer a host of other amenities that solve the first/last mile challenge. These can include electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle repair stations, secure bicycle storage facilities, like El Monte’s new “Bike Hub, transit hubs, ridesharing services, personal lockers, electronic signage of real-time arrival times, and departure transit information.

In addition to the first/last mile services, mobility hubs integrate recent technology innovations to allow you to use all these mobility hub amenities and services through a single application. Just like tweeting or submitting a 311 request, you should be able to reserve and/or pay for the services from your phone. A mobility hub can allow you to, for example, reserve a carshare vehicle through a mobile app on your phone or on your computer via an online portal while riding the bus, hop off the bus at a transit station, and immediately hop into your reserved vehicle. Just like many of the other apps and digital products available today, mobility hubs take advantage of quick and easy payment schemes to provide seamless connectivity. Who can’t get behind that?

Last year, the People St program opened its first ever application cycle re-purposed road space in Pacoima and Leimert Park for two new Plazas and will bring Parklets to Palms and South Park in Downtown LA soon. LADOT’s award-winning People St Program will open its second application cycle and begin accepting proposals for Plazas, Parklets, and Bicycle Corrals from potential partners starting November 1st! Community Partners will have 45 calendar days or until December 15th to submit their applications for all People St projects.

Ballet folklorico at July 30th Ribbon Cutting at Bradley Ave Plaza in Pacoima.

Before you start gathering your neighbors and friends to help you put together a proposal, here are a few things you should know about this year’s People St application cycle:

Apply for a Bicycle Corral: Instead of a on rolling basis, Bicycle Corrals are now integrated into the application-based process along with Plazas and Parklets! All applications for People St projects will be accepted during the application window period. This helps us prioritize Plazas, Parklets, and Bicycle Corrals all at once and lets us foster better communication between Community Partner applicants.

Updated Application Manuals: As the People St program continues to grow, we would like to streamline the application process and make applying easier for Community Partners. We’ve made revisions and updates to our application manuals incorporating new information to better guide Community Partners!

Keep your Neighborhood Council in the loop: Community Partners are now required to present their proposed People St project to their neighborhood during one of their local Neighborhood Council’s monthly meetings. For a People St project application to be considered complete, a copy of the Neighborhood Council meeting’s agenda or official minutes must be included as proof of presentation.

Kit of Parts for Plazas Went on a Diet: Information from the previous ‘Kit of Parts for Plazas Technical Appendix’ has now been incorporated into the ‘Kit of Parts for Plazas’. Now, Community Partners can refer to the ‘Kit of Parts for Plazas‘ exclusively for information on needed furnishings and programming to construct and activate a Plaza!

People St 2015 Application Cycle Timeline.

Now that you are up to speed on the changes we’ve made and are interested in applying for a project in your neighborhood, start now! All Plazas, Parklets, and Bicycle Corrals application materials and information you need can be found at our one stop shop: peoplest.lacity.org. If you have additional questions, email us at peoplest@lacity.org.

We can’t wait to form new partnerships and work with our Community Partners to bring their project ideas to life!

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Members of the City’s Complete Streets Design Committee confer at LADOT HQ.

In March 2015, LADOT’s General Manager Seleta Reynolds directed the Department form a new collaborative group: The Complete Streets Design Committee. The Design Committee establishes a forum where project managers can request feedback and design guidance for their projects from diverse expertise within LADOT.

The Design Committee operates under four primary objectives:

To provide guidance on design concepts.

To resolve design issues.

To document design decisions, particularly on new or innovative designs.

To lead the department on innovative design-related policy directives.

Members of the Design Committee include representatives from the Department’s Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control (ATSAC), Active Transportation, Design, District Research and Support, Complete Streets, Operations, Parking, and Planning Divisions. The Design Committee combines experience and knowledge from specific fields, so that project managers can develop design guidelines used to generate Department policies and procedures. The Design Committee can also provide technical recommendations to improve specific projects in the design phase. As an evaluative board, the Design Committee provides feedback on existing designs and discusses the outcomes of recent design interventions. By harnessing the collective experience of the Department, not only will the Design Committee result in the best possible designs, but also give staff ownership and investment in those decisions, and in projects overall.

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Cancel all your plans! CicLAvia is coming back to town on October 18 in the Heart of LA (HOLA). Five years and 14 events after the first historic CicLAvia ride on 10/10/10, the ride returns to its roots in Downtown LA. If you don’t know how or where to get more info or join the epic event-filled day, or if you are interested in meeting new and interesting people, or if you just want to be part of a movement reshaping LA, there is a group for you! BikeSafeUSC is a coalition of University of Southern California (USC) campus groups uniting students, staff and community to plan a feeder ride to the CicLAvia.

Archival shot from CicLAvia Heart of LA in 2011. Looking forward to recreating this magic 4 years later and greater! Source: CicLAvia